TITAN Low bar push pull drag sled vs VersaClimber LX
This is a comparison between the TITAN low bar push pull sled and VersaClimber LX including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was originally published in Which cardio equipment to get from TITAN. Follow the links for more details.
Versa climber LX Model
The VresaClimber LX comesa in at $3995 - $4200. In this article you will learn more about the product itself, its Pros and cons and alternatives you might want to consider. This article has originally been published in the overview "Which conditioning equipment to buy from Rogue".
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Overview of the VersaClimber LX
The
VersaClimber range has been on the market for more than four decades. The
LX model is one of their mid-range options which sits between the SM and H models from a budget perspective. The machine is hand welded and has the following specifications:
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Weight 150lb
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Height 7’ 10’’
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Footprint 48’’x48’’
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Color black
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Climb angle 75 degrees
The VersClimber LX comes with a computer and fully assembled to stand upright in your home gym or professional facility. For $200 you can upgrade the handles for more options.
VersaClimber recommends this option for anyone taller than 6’ 3’’. For an extra $100 it comes with a branded floor mat to protect your floors from scratches and sweat.
The
VersaClimber range is a great alternative to treadmills, bikes, and towers. It offers some of the highest intensity cardiovascular workouts on the smallest possible footprint with minimum impact on the joints. Everyone who ever used this hates it. This is usually a good reference when it comes to workout machines.
Pros of the VersaClimber LX
These are the pros of the
VersaClimber LX series compared to other options you might consider:
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Small footprint
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High intensity
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Adjustable resistance
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Unfamiliar workout
Compared to most treadmills and elliptical machines you will be able to fit a lot more
VersaClimbers into your facility. When it comes to calories burned per square foot the
VersaClimber is very hard to beat. The LX offers a commercial grade machine for a lower cost than the SM model.
The
Versaclimber itself offers you and your athlete a great opportunity to power yourselves out. If the weather is bad or if you want to throw them a curve ball, this is the machine. Many climbers use this is a morning routine and climbers are usually quite good when it comes to endurance. Loss of grip means death for them so they won’t mess about with the equipment they pick.
This machine can adjust the resistance from 1-500 lb which makes it better than older models from
VersaClimber.
If you are planning on establishing the best gym in town you will be able to offer extra diversity with this machine. Especially in Europe, I have not seen many of these around which might swing some reliable clients your way instead of to the gym around the corner.
Cons of the VersaClimber LX
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Not specific
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Not for beginners
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Old computer
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Price
Most people compete in sports to which a vertical climb is irrelevant. Treadmill and cycling training is more relevant to the movement patterns for long distance runners and endurance athletes. If it is not just about burning calories but also improving technique on relevant movements the
VersaClimber might not be the right choice.
As this workout is super intense it might not be for beginners. If you have a lot of beginners in your gym you might want some alternatives for people who just walked through the door. Throwing something completely frustrating at your beginners will drive them away. You have to give them some small successes and build from there. Only very few of your clients will be like “yes another machine I can kill myself on”.
The computer unit on the LX is a bit outdated. The SM has a better one as this is the most recent update to the line. Personally, I think this does not matter that much. Most of the programs are not used anyway.
The price is a big con to the
Versaclimber LX. The H version comes in for $1000 less but has no commercial use warranty. The SM costs $1000 more. What I would really consider when I built my own gym is what else I could do for $4000. For two
VersaClimbers I can get a ten pack of concept 2 bikes to run spinning classes. For a home gym, I can get a rack fully equipped with barbell and plates.
Alternatives to the VersaClimber LX
The
Versaclimber SM leaves you with more freedom around the machine as less material of better quality is used to build the frame for the
VersaClimber. It also has a better computer and warranty. When you are in the market to buy a lot of these for commercial use, make very sure you understand the differences of the warranty and service differences between the
LX and
SM.
If you are considering a
VersaClimber for your home base go with the
H option. It will save you a lot of money and still give you the benefits. Unless money does it really make a difference (for example if you are outfitting a house that costs 10 million I personally would not be picky between a 2000 and 5000 dollar option for the home gym and just get the best of everything).
If you are not looking at the
VersaClimber for home use but for a professional setup be very mindful whether it is your first purchase. The Rogue Echo bikes are of high quality, only cost a fraction and deliver a great, challenging workout which is different from treadmills and ellipticals. This might be a better option for a bulk purchase.
Summary for the VersaClimber LX
The
Versaclimber LX is a great option but suffers the pros and cons of most middle of the range of products. Unless you very specifically want this one it is better to go with the best or lowest budget option form the portfolio. Same goes here for the
LX. I went for the H and I am happy. For a commercial gym, I would have gone for the SM and tried to argue with the bank for a loan extension pointing to the good warranty (basically you buy 2 for 1 if one breaks you get it replaced unless you threw rocks at It). Talk to other gym owners who wanted to make use of the warranty to be really sure.
Overview and review of the TITAN Low bar push pull drag sled
This is an overview of the TITAN low bar push pull drag sled including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was originally published in Which cardio equipment to get from TITAN. Follow the links for more details.
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Overview of the TITAN Low bar push-pull Drag sled
The
low bar push pull drag sled from TITAN is a low price sled option from TITAN that has everything in the box to add resistance to your sprints. The full specifications of this sled are:
- Load the 8" weight post with either standard or Olympic plates to increase difficulty.
- Low Bar design allows for more leverage, giving your quadriceps a burn like no other.
- Includes a harness and carabiners to attach to the sled for sled drags.
- Weight: 36 LB
- Length: 36"
- Width: 24.5"
- Weight Post Length: 8"
This is the easy throw-away option of a sled to be bought in bulk for a commercial gym or as a throwaway option for a home gym.
Pros of the TITAN Low bar push-pull Drag sled
This little sled only costs you $100 which makes it a great option to get for a sled that you intend to wreck anyway. Other sleds will usually start at around $200 or be almost unusable when they drop under $50 for a new piece. This means that you can justify getting two of these and abuse the hell out of the first one to be replaced by the second. For a commercial setting, especially if you have a sled friendly floor, this is a serious consideration to buy for group training.
With this sled, everything you need comes in the package and you are not running a risk of ballooning costs or having to get the extra attachments to use them. This package is plug and plays on arrival if it gets delivered as advertised.
Another advantage of this sled compared to even lower-priced models is that you can use it without a harness based on the handles on each side. Is are fairly low, which makes the workout even harder and maybe not suitable for beginners or anyone who is fairly overweight.
Cons of the TITAN Low bar push-pull Drag sled
Do not expect high-quality components from a sled that retails at $100. This is to be used until it breaks and then thrown away by a serious athlete or used timidly by someone who just wants to push some weight around once a month.
This sled will directly touch the ground with no buffer in-between. If you intend to use it on concrete it will come apart rather quickly. If you use it on grass or a running track it will not slide very smoothly. So the best use would be in an indoor gym with some kind of rubber mats. If you have this scenario it might even be a good sled for group training and you can get 5 to 10 of them depending on the group sizes you run.
The loading pin for this sled is quite small and also the surface to load the plates on. This is fine if you intend to load 30 - 100 lbs on it for adding some resistance to sprints. If you want to use this sled to train linebackers and Rugby monsters, abandon your plans. To these guys, this thing will be just a toy.
Alternatives to the TITAN Low bar push-pull Drag sled
The
TITAN Pro sled is TITAN's clone of the Rogue Dgosled 1.2. It comes with many possible attachments at some extra cost which can keep training interesting. This is a good sled if you are a personal trainer to wealthy clients who expect you to keep things interesting or for an ambitious home gym. If you are training a professional team and want to buy in bulk for high quality because you are using the sleds very often, then the
Rogue Dogsled 1.2 would be the better pick. In that setup maybe get all of the different attachments once and a sled to equip them with each.
The
TITAN heavy-duty sled is a clone of the
Rogue butcher sled. This sled is designed to deliver very high capacity in weight. This is a good sled for a strongman who trains at home and has the space to store it. If you want to use a sled at home for sprints I would lean more towards the
TITAN Pro sled. If you are looking for heavy sleds to entertain an NFL or professional rugby team, get a couple to a dozen of the
Rogue butcher sleds instead. They hold up longer and your athletes will be happier using them. I only recommend this if your players earn 10.00 thousand to millions a year as a bill for $10.000 for a dozen
Rogue butchers won't make a difference in the accounting department, but might make a difference to happiness and performance to the players because you got the good stuff rather than being cheap.
The
power weighted sled with leash and harness is the ideal sled to throw in the back of a truck or under a seat. This sled has a pin that you can collapse and therefore store easily. It is also cheaper than Push-Pull Sled. In my opinion, this is the better option for sprints with resistance as they are easier to store and transport if you want to be cheap about it.
The
XPO trainer 2 sled is the ultimate gimmick in the realm of sleds. It has big wheels and can therefore be used in suburbia without being sued by the neighbors. It works with a resistance mechanic that makes it harder to push or pull the sled the harder you work at it which is similar to the resistance techniques used in
fan bikes, air rowers, or water rowers. This is the ideal sled for the weekend warrior who can afford and store it as the quality is high.
The
Rogue Dogsled is the most modular
Dogsled you can currently get in the market. compared to the
TITAN Pro sled it has a higher quality finish and a little more attention to detail. In return, it costs more money. If you are intending to get this sled, also buy some extra plastic feet for it to exchange, once the first ones have worn off. This is a good sled for the serious home athlete with a big backyard or a team that wants to create the speed of their players. It is not the ideal sled for anyone who wants to get stronger to move stones, trucks, or big burly men, as it can not be loaded as heavy as other models.
The
Rogue Echo dogsled is an option that moves the purchase price of the sled closer to the TITAN Pro without providing as many options for attachments. If you want a Rogue sled and do not care about all of the different attachments, this is a good pick and also sturdier than the
Push-pull drag sled from Titan. The only downside here is that it is harder to store and that the harness and leash are sold separately.
Conclusion for the TITAN Low bar push-pull Drag sled
If you want to make your kids happy, have a throwaway sled yourself, or just use this tool very occasionally in your training, then this is the right sled to get. If you take your sled work very seriously and you want to focus on speed it is a choice between the
TITAN Pro sled and the
Rogue Dogsled 1.2. If you are considering a sled to increase your strength for very heavy pushes and pulls you should be comparing the
TITAN heavy-duty sled and the
Rogue butcher.